BOZEMAN — Montana State is now over halfway through its second spring rodeo.
Teams returned to a packed Worthington Arena inside Brick Breeden Fieldhouse for Saturday's long go as cowboys and cowgirls looked to lock up spots in Sunday's championship go.
Montana Western's Trevor Kay won bareback with a 76-point ride, Montana State's Trav Johnson took first in the steer wrestling with a time of 4.1 seconds, and MSU's Cassidy Bolich and Faith Marshall tied in goat tying with each clocking a mark of 6.6 seconds.
Above are highlights from Saturday's performance. Montana State will conclude its second spring rodeo with Sunday's short go starting at 1 p.m.
Following is a Saturday night recap from Montana State Athletics:
Bobcat freshman Holden Atkinson delivered the night’s most electric performance at the last moment, marking a 75 to capture the bull riding title of the long go-round during the MSU Spring Rodeo #2 in Bozeman’s Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.
“Holden brought the house down to end the rodeo,” Montana State head coach Kyle Whitaker said. “That was awesome!”
After failing to mark on bulls both Thursday and Friday, Atkinson encountered one Saturday that “kind of messed around in the box,” he said. But once mounted, “I finally got a bull rode and got the win so it worked out.”
Atkinson was one of the Bobcat event winners during the long go of MSU Spring Rodeo No. 2, the second of two rodeos in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse this weekend.
Trav Johnson won the round of steer wrestling, with five Bobcats placing in the top six. Ryatt Thompson (first) and Ryley Mapston (second) stand atop the saddle bronc riding. Weston Hersel took top honors in the tie-down roping.
“We didn’t have a ton of people out (in the performance) tonight,” Whitaker said, “but I thought everybody was good. It was fun to see some of our freshmen get interviewed and get victory laps (for winning events).”
The capacity crowd roared at every Bobcat success, but din created by Atkinson’s ride was noteworthy.
“It’s unreal,” he said. “It’s probably one of the biggest rodeos I’ve done in my life, and to be (competing for MSU) and do well at it, it just means a lot to me. I’m very grateful.”
A freshman from Black Diamond, Alberta, Atkinson said the size and enthusiasm of the crowd the last two night takes getting used to.
“It definitely gets your nerves going a little more with how many people are here, but you’ve got to adjust and keep it moving.”
